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O’zapft is: Another 12.9 million pints of beer for Munich’s Oktoberfest

O’zapft is: Another 12.9 million pints of beer for Munich’s Oktoberfest

22.09.2007 (BC) – Another week with a lot of work is done. Now i am looking forward to Munich’s Oktoberfest tomorrow. The famous annual celebration of beer – opened at midday Saturday under blue-and-white skies and bright sunshine. Munich’s mayor opened the annual Oktoberfest, joyously hammering a tap into the first barrel of beer with the traditional cry of ‚O’zapft is‘ (It’s tapped). Thousands of visitors crowded into the sprawling Theresienwiese festival grounds as Mayor Christian Ude launched the 174th edition of the drinking spree and the tent where the traditional ceremony is carried out was full to bursting, with latecomers turned away. Ude passed the first liter of beer to Bavarian Governor Edmund Stoiber. A 12-gun salute then signaled that it was time to start serving the beer.

Each of the festival’s tents offer seating for some 100,000 people.The Oktoberfest, marking its 174th year, runs through Oct. 7. Last year, the festival attracted more than 6 million visitors, who downed about 6.1 million liters – 12.9 million pints of beer. The traditional ‚Mass‘ or one-liter (two-pint) mug, will cost visitors between 7.30 and 7.90 Euro (about US$ 10.30 and US $11.10) at this year’s festival. Prost!